


Malec - what else (3)

by SweetCherry2



Category: Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cute, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Alec Lightwood, Kissing, M/M, Malec after episode s01e13, Manipulative Camille
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-08-24 04:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8357452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetCherry2/pseuds/SweetCherry2
Summary: Camille replaced the book of white. She had quite successfully ruined their perfect plan - so Jocelyn is still asleep. “Do you have any idea how to find Camille and get the real book back?” Clary asked.“If I’d known how to find her, I would already be on my way, Biscuit. Camille is particularly sly and I doubt we will be able to find her.” His gaze wandered to Alec’s once again, but the other one’s face remained steady.Clary suddenly gasped and her eyes widened.“Wait, I know how to get the book!” she exclaimed, shooting up from her sitting position.Alec took a step closer and furrowed his brow.“What do you mean you know how?” he asked, and Clary waved her hands in excitement.“The other dimension! Magnus had the book in his loft there. He could get it from that world and use it!” She was nearly shouting now, her cheeks red and eyes wide.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello sweeties and welcome to my OS!
> 
> I rewatched episode 12 and 13 (surprise!!! ...I know pathetic...uuhhh)  
> I´m still UNHAPPY with episode 13 and I decided to write myself another ending - BAAMM the idea was born.  
> And now I wanted to share my stupid idea with all of you. :-)
> 
> Credits to my lovely girls Jaimie and Eva (childofthesky) i love u <3<3<3
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> PS: if you want to read my fic in german here you go :-) http://archiveofourown.org/works/9091531/chapters/20668783
> 
> and...english is not my first language. I apologize in advance :-)

“I can’t believe this! Camille replaced the real book with a copy and we didn’t even notice!”

Clary let out a sigh and sat down on the steps of the room where they were all gathered, her shoulders slouched while she forced back tears. Magnus gave her a sympathetic smile and took a step back from the Jocelyn’s hovering body, still fast asleep.

“I guess she saw the chance and took it without hesitation. I’m sorry,” he said with a soft voice, trying to soothe Clary. 

He was still holding the frustratingly useless book in his hands and stroked the pages absently. He should have noticed right away, as he was seeing all the discrepancies clearly now. 

He shook his head and cursed himself. How could he not have noticed?  
The book wasn’t even a good copy. In fact, the spells were hardly worth anything. It looked as if Camille had been in a hurry faking it and he should have noticed from the start, he was the High Warlock of Brooklyn, after all!

Magnus let out a sigh, feeling uncomfortable to admit he had been too distracted to notice.  
His gaze wandered over to the young Shadowhunter standing in the back. 

Alec.

Magnus felt a familiar ache in his chest just by looking at him, his mind telling him to step closer, touch him and assure him the last 24 hours weren’t just a figment of imagination.

Had it really happened? Had Alec truly walked toward him at his own wedding, in front of all the important representatives of the Clave, and kissed him?

The thought made a shiver run down his spine and a pleasant heat washed over him. Could anyone blame him for being absent-minded? 

His thoughts were interrupted when Clary suddenly let out a sob next to him. She buried her face in her hands, tears in the corners of her eyes.

“I feel like we’ll never be able to wake her up,” she said with so much sadness in her voice. Magnus couldn’t do anything but feel deeply sorry for her. She had been through a lot lately. 

First, it had been Jace who left with his father, and now the failed attempt to wake up her mother was throwing them back to square one again. Camille had quite successfully ruined their perfect plan.

Alec was still standing in the back, his arms crossed and his face drawn into a gut-wrenching frown. His intense gaze was focused on Clary, his lips pressed together tight into a tight line.

Magnus acknolwedged that Alec’s day hadn’t been the easiest either; and that the angry waves pouring off of him was actually empathy for Clary. 

After all, it had been Alec who lost his Parabatai, and his ex-fiance was still recovering from being badly injured by a traitorous Shadowhunter. This was probably one of the worst days of his life.

And to top it all off, Alec had been forced to watch Camille despicably use her manipulative ways to kiss Magnus.

The Warlock had used the earliest moment to clarify the situation with Alec, and the nonexistent jealousy from the Shadowhunter had surprised him a bit. Alec had simply shrugged it off. Though deep inside, Magnus worried that Camille’s stinging words had planted her evil seed, and would eventually cause Alec to doubt their future.

It all boiled down to two simple facts. Magnus was immortal. Alec was not.

After a few minutes of silence, Clary looked up to Magnus with a desperate look in her eyes.

“Do you have any idea how to find Camille and get the real book back?” 

“You’ve known her such a long time and how she really thinks and acts,” she added, her words in no way an accusation but Magnus noticed how Alec flinched slightly by the mention of Camille. 

It stung Magnus’ heart and he cursed Camille’s very existence and her evil methods to play with people's feelings like they meant nothing. He knew all too well; to her, it all was nothing but a game. Why did it have to be so complicated for Alec and him? They hadn’t even had their first date yet.

Magnus forced a sad smile.

“If I’d known how to find her, I would already be on my way, Biscuit. Camille is particularly sly and I doubt we will be able to find her.” His gaze wandered to Alec’s once again, but the other one’s face remained steady. Clary suddenly gasped and her eyes widened.

“Wait, I know how to get the book!” she exclaimed, shooting up from her sitting position.  
Alec took a step closer and furrowed his brow.

“What do you mean you know how?” he asked, and Clary waved her hands in excitement.

“The other dimension! Magnus had the book in his loft there. He could get it from that world and use it!” She was nearly shouting now, her cheeks red and eyes wide. 

“That’s the solution! Please, Magnus!” she pleaded and looked at Magnus with hope in her voice.

“It sounds plausible,” Alec agreed also looking at Magnus now.

Magnus took a deep breath and looked between the two Shadowhunters. 

He saw the desperation and hope in Clary’s eyes and was also surprised to see Alec agree with her plan. He knew they had a rough start and Alec hadn’t been that eager when it came to the little redhead in the beginning.

Back then she had appeared out of thin air, stepping into their midst with a rather unpleasant past. Their relationship hadn’t improved when they discovered that she was the enemy's daughter, so he understood Alec’s initial doubt. 

But since then, it seemed like they had moved past all that, and Clary had claimed her place in their universe. In the end, it had been Clary who found the Mortal Cup; it had been Clary that gave it to Lydia to save Izzy from the trial. Alec was sure to trust her now. He had been the one to catch and hold her when they watched Jace disappear through the portal with Valentine and the shared pain made them bond even more.

“I haven’t had a lot of experience with the other dimension...” Magnus mumbled.

“But?” Clary raised her eyebrows in question. Magnus waved his hand in the air.

“It could work. At least, it would be easier to travel there and steal the book from myself than try it with Camille here, I guess”, he admitted with a shrug. Clary’s face lit up from his words and she closed the distance between them to grab his hand.

“If you’ll do this for me, you… I will be forever in your debt!” she exclaimed and looked at him with pleading eyes. In that moment, Magnus made a decision and knew exactly what he had to do.

“I’ll do it,” he nodded, and Clary cheered in joy.

“We’ll need Jocelyn’s help to fight Valentine and get Jace back.” He smiled at Clary with fondness in his eyes and Clary moved to hug him for a second.

“Thank you so much,” she managed to breathe out, happy about the new glimpse of hope.  
Magnus nodded, then he looked over at Alec and cleared his throat.

“Alexander,” he started, and took a deep breath when he saw Alec watch him with a steady look.

“I know I shouldn’t be asking anything of you right now, but for my journey to the other dimension, I’ll need something like an anchor to hold onto so I won’t lose myself in the other world. I wanted...” but he got interrupted by Clary, who pointed at Alec.

“You should go with him, Alec,” she said firmly and nodded frantically at the both of them. Alec raised his eyebrows at her words, then he gave Magnus a questioning look.

“Actually, I wanted to ask Alec for a simpler request. A kiss,” Magnus cleared his throat, his gaze wandering between the two Shadowhunters. 

He noticed how Alec’s expression changed to a rather dark one, and it wasn’t the first time Magnus wondered what was going on in Alec’s head. 

They stared at each other for a few seconds, then Alec sighed and turned towards Clary.

“Why should I go with him?” 

Clary opened her mouth, only stuttering as she sensed the awkward situation.

“Well, uhm… You and him... the other dimension is… well you both are... uhm… it’s like… mmh... complicated,” she finally finished and looked between them with a helpless look.

If it was possible, Alec’s expression turned even darker.

“Obviously,” he snapped, clearly annoyed when Magnus held up his hand.

“I don’t need Alec to come with me. I know where I belong and why I want to return,” he said with a firm voice and looked at Alec with determination in his eyes. He would never get tired of looking at the young Nephilim and they locked their gaze for a moment, the world tuning out for a moment around them.

Magnus wasn’t worried to lose himself in the other dimension because he knew exactly where his heart belonged. With Alec. Nothing could change that.

Clary cleared her throat and their attention snapped back to her, the moment broken.

“I still think it would be better if he came along. You need someone to remind you of this world. Trust me, I know from experience,” she said and Alec tilted his head slightly.

“Why?”

“Because.,.” she hesitated for a second, unsure and shot him an apologetic look.

“Yes?” he pressed, and she sighed.

“Because the other Alec might be hard for you to resist, Magnus,” she finally said and looked bashfully to the ground.

“He’s outgoing and happy, maybe a bit arrogant, but really nice and likes parties and clothes and glamor without being superficial about it and...” she looked up at the Warlock.

“You’d make a great couple.”

Suddenly the room was filled with an uncomfortable silence and Alec just stood there without moving as if he had just been struck by lightning. Magnus was the first to move and shook his head slightly, speaking with a soft but low and clear voice.

“Biscuit, I know you’re worried about me, and that’s really kind, but it’s a dangerous path you’re heading down here, so you better stop right now,” he said.

“I’m… I’m so sorry, Magnus... Alec, I...”

Clary was nearly crying as she tried to defend herself against Magnus’ stern face and Alec’s dark expression.

“I didn’t want to hurt you, I’m really sorry! It’s just… if Magnus stays in the other dimension, we wouldn’t stand any chance at all! And I do know from experience how big of a temptation this other world is. I nearly lost myself there, and only the other Magnus was able to save me last minute before it was too late. This dimension there is just so... carefree and wonderful,” she sobbed, tears running down her cheeks now, voice dripping with guilt.

“I actually wanted to stay there, and I can only imagine you would feel the same!” she admitted, her secret now out in the open to the Warlock and the Shadowhunter and she felt horrible about it.

Alec took two deep breaths, then looked at Magnus.

“I mean...” he started, but Magnus interrupted him instantly.

“Stop right now and listen to what I have to say about this. The reason why I would NOT stay there is simple.” He furrowed his brow and looked at the two Shadowhunters.

“First of all, I’m the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and I know how not to lose my anchor! Second of all, I’m well aware of how important this mission is and that we really do need the book back.”

He paused for a second, then continued with a firm voice.

“And the third reason is this world, this dimension is my reality and I would never accept anything else; especially not a continuously happy and carefree sort of world. That’s not like me at all,” he stated and turned towards Clary again.

“I know you worry about it all, but I promise you I will get the book and return back here.”

Clary nodded while wiping her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I know you can do this.”

“Don’t be, I’m flattered by your warning,” he smirked and winked at her, then he clasped his hands together.

“Now, I need to speak to Alexander. Alone,” he added. Clary nodded gratefully, smiled the the both of them, then she left the room.

Alec was leaning against the wall again, his arms crossed and a thoughtful expression on his face. Magnus took a step closer, amazed by how Alec was still thinking.

Hidden behind unbelievably strong loyalty, steady honor and a strong sense of duty, Alec had never been outgoing and had always put his own happiness last.

He had rejected Magnus more than once, always clinging to the fact he couldn’t just give up his life for him, but deep down Magnus knew Alec hated it. All the pretending and obeying without second guessing anything wasn’t what he wanted to do. He wanted to be happy and Magnus didn’t know why Alec felt he didn’t deserve it. He deserved so much more.

If Magnus hadn’t crashed the wedding, Alec would have married Lydia to fulfill his duty. 

But it had been Alec who made a decision that day, a decision to make them both happy. He had been the one to to kiss Magnus in front of everyone.

It had been perfect, both of them happy until Camille had shown up. She had always tried to make Magnus life difficult since their last break up, and this time she had succeeded.

The kiss had been one thing, but planting that dangerous and evil thoughts in Alec’s mind was another thing. 

They were still at the beginning of it all, the whole situation couldn’t even be considered a real relationship yet. And yet, there were already dark clouds above their heads, messing with their luck. It was a bitter sadness trying to poison their fresh love, which wasn’t fair at all. 

And now Clary had unintentionally contributed to the pain as well, explaining the dangers of the other dimension and the temptation that lay within it; a wonderful world where the living was sweet and easy.

Magnus knew Clary really was just worried about him not coming back since she nearly didn’t manage herself, but he had had many more years of experience dealing with his ability to love.

Clary was young and in love for the first time, so it had been the same feeling for her in the other dimension, but with Magnus it would be completely different.

The fight for Alec hadn’t been an easy one at all, and the effort Magnus had out forth for Alec to finally acknowledge his own feelings had been grueling. Magnus had done everything he could think of to encourage Alec to admit his feelings freely.

The Warlock knew how unique this gift was; it had been a miracle that Alec had admitted his feelings out in the open and Magnus would make sure to never play it down in any way by just losing himself in an easy, happy world.

The only tough part of it was to make this clear to Alec now, and Magnus sighed when he took a step closer to the young Shadowhunter. He wanted to be closer to Alec, touch him and kiss him but knew it wasn’t the right moment, not now.

“Alexander,” he whispered, looking at Alec with fondness in his eyes.

“I want you to stay here, and I will go to that other dimension on my own.” Alec opened his mouth but Magnus held up his hand and continued.

“It’s not because I don’t want you with me, but now that Lydia is injured and Jace is gone, they need you here. You’re the head of the institute and you can’t just leave.”

Alec nodded without a word and Magnus exhaled. Rational and reasonable, Magnus thought. It’s what Alec would understand best and Magnus sighed at how simple it was. 

He felt how some kind of disappointment spread in his chest, perhaps it was too simple. But then Alec spoke up.

“But what if Clary is right?” he asked, and Magnus looked at him, confused.

“What do you mean?”  
Alec inhaled deeply. “What if you lose yourself there?”

His cheeks were just slightly red, but the effect of the words on Magnus were incredible. He felt like a thousand butterflies were fluttering in his stomach and he pressed his lips together, amused by the sensation.

Butterflies? At his age?

He felt happy, so very happy to get Alec out of his shell and smiled at Alec. Magnus looked into a pair of beautiful eyes, the most wonderful ones he had ever seen, and took another step forward.

“It won’t happen. I know what’s keeping me in this world,” he assured Alec, and placed a hand on Alec’s cheek.

“But according to Clary, there’s this Alec who’s exactly like me, but... better.”

Alec swallowed hard, unable to look away from Magnus’ gaze and Magnus shook his head.

“That Alec didn’t chose me and kiss me at his own wedding. In front of everyone. I still don’t know how I deserve it,” Magnus admitted and they were now standing so close, their faces nearly touching. Alec’s cheeks turned pinker and suddenly his breath wasn’t as calm as before. 

“I just... wanted to do it. You woke me up. Without you I would be married to a woman now, a great one, but still. It would have been hell for her as well as me.”

And there it was, the little crooked smile Magnus liked so much and gave him a shiver down the spine.

“You’re dead right,” he smirked, and took a leap of courage to close the little remaining gap between them to press his lips lightly on Alec’s.

When they broke apart again, Alec’s breaths were shallow and his lips were slightly parted. His cheeks flushed, and his eyes burned with so much passion, Magnus felt tempted to explore it even further.

Magnus let the moment sink deep into his memory, to keep it forever. The way Alec looked at him in that very moment, with nothing but pure admiration between them.

When he created the portal and stepped through, he knew for sure that no one and nothing in the other dimension could keep him away from this Alec. His Alec.


	2. in the other universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shiver ran through his entire body, eyes widening in shock as Magnus turned slowly around and stared at the person standing in front of him.
> 
> His hands clenched into fists, breath coming out short and shallow. Memories raced through his mind, tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. It couldn’t be.
> 
> He had tried to prepare himself to expect anything, from other dimensions, had imagined more than a thousand scenes happening. But not this. Not him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi sweeties and welcome to the second part of my (privious) OS now TwoShot?? maybe ThreeShot?? LOL
> 
> First things first. I´AM sooorrryyyy. To write this chapter took me 1.000.000 years but it wasn´t meant to be something else but a OS :-) IT WAS DIFFICULT TBH.  
> A lot of you guys asked for a second part and yeah...here we go.  
> Hope you will enjoy reading.
> 
> BTW a huge THX to Eva and Jaimie (i love you so much!!!)  
> Thank you to my girl Ul (noimnotapsycho) this chapter is for you.  
> And last but not least - Anica - thanks for the tarot cards :-)
> 
> PS: if you want to read my fic in german here you go :-) http://archiveofourown.org/works/9091531/chapters/20668783

Magnus stepped through the portal without another look back. He blinked, because he was standing in the middle of his living room at the loft, but it actually wasn’t his loft at all.  
It was quiet, and Magnus was alone.

He grimaced slightly as he stretched his arms; traveling through dimensions always left an unpleasant ache, as if his body could tell it didn’t belong here in this time and place. Using his magic to open portals for short distances were one thing, but this jumping through the dimensions was exhausting.

That was the very reason only a few Downworlders were able to open them in the first place. It took decades of intense practice to open those portals, not to mention a great deal of both self-control and power. Typically it was something only Fairies were able to do, who absorbed their power from the nature around them, and of course High Warlocks, such as Magnus himself.

It was such a strange feeling, the short moment of losing oneself, losing the glimpse of reality while passing through the portal… Magnus shook his head thinking about it and felt a shiver running through his body. It felt as if he had been taken apart and put together again in mere seconds. He found the sensation quite disagreeable.

He let out a worried sigh. Focus. 

Magnus was glad to find the feeling disappeared nearly as fast as it had hit him, and only left a strange, twisted feeling in his stomach. Usually he had a nice fruity cocktail to rid himself of that sensation… Where was his drink cart when he needed it?

Wait, focus. 

The mission was what was important now, finding the Book of the White to get back as fast as he could. To get back to… Alec.

His thoughts flitted back to the last moment in the Institute, and he felt the echo of Alec’s lips on his own. Magnus smiled as he touched his mouth, thinking about Alec’s soft lips and the way he had kissed him ever so slowly, pouring so much emotion into the touch.

There had been a look of fear shining out of Alec’s beautiful eyes. A fear of Magnus losing himself in this world. No, he wouldn’t lose himself. He would get back to Alec.

Thinking about the young Shadowhunter made Magnus smile once again. 

Soon, he thought, soon he would be back. And he knew one or two things he could try to rid Alec of his worries…

Still grinning like a lovesick teenager, Magnus took a few steps into the living room and looked around for the first time, narrowing his eyes slightly.

It seemed like the Magnus of this world had a similar taste, though the colors were a bit more subdued than he typically preferred. It was missing the rich accents Magnus loved about his own home. While he himself loved a bit of opulence and elegance, this Magnus obviously preferred more of a quiet, understated style. No less luxurious, perhaps a bit more inviting and welcoming.

Alec would like this loft better, Magnus thought with a twinge of jealousy. Stupid, he thought and smiled. Did he just think about Alec again?  
Focusing back on the mission, he walked towards the huge wooden table in the middle of the room. Clary had mentioned this had been the place where she saw the book last time, and he hoped it was still there. He had to start somewhere, right? 

Right before Magnus reached the table, he caught his reflection in the big mirror next to the door, and he stopped dead in his tracks, gaping at himself.

“Oh my god!” was all he managed to choke out as he stared at himself. “What the hell is THIS?”

He stared at his reflection and ran a hand over his sleek, combed hair, and pulled at the gray sweater he was wearing.

“This hair and the sweater and… WAIT!” His eyes widened in shock. “JEANS? For god’s sake, I must have died and woke up in hell,” Magnus murmured, furrowed his brow and while shaking his head, he activated his magic to change this horrible fashion faux-pas immediately.

He nodded, satisfied with a dark red satin blouse with black fitted trousers, clinging to his legs like a second skin. A single necklace hung from his neck and his hair and eyes styled with the usual dramatic flair. 

“Now, that’s much better,”, he nodded, then he pressed his lips together and hesitated. Alec would have never gotten distracted with such little vanities like clothes. He imagined Alec’s grimace if he had seen Magnus perform magic on something as vain as an outfit. The thought made Magnus grin and he had to admit that he really was head over heels for the young Shadowhunter, as he never really left his thoughts.

“Alec, Alec, Alec...” he hummed as he started pacing the room again, looking for the book. His eyes caught a fluffy armchair near the windows, and he stopped as the pillows suddenly moved. And looked at him. 

And meowed.

A cat? This Magnus had a cat?

This was bad. Very, very bad.

Magnus was NOT a cat person. At all. Mostly due to the extremely inconvenient fact that he was deathly allergic. 

Achoo!

Fantastic! Now his nose would run and his eyes would get red and puffy, and his head would feel like it was stuffed with cotton. Horrible! Unattractive!

Right, those cats had to go immediately.

He took a few unsure steps towards the little creature, and yelped in shock when he spotted a second cat. 

This one was big and hairy with a grumpy look, eying him suspiciously. Okay, careful and slow. Get the cats, lock them in the bedroom.

Magnus took another step toward the cats, never taking his eyes off of them. The little one purred as he picked it up carefully and he actually managed to smile at how cute it was.

Achoo!

Nope. Enough cuddles, they had to go. 

Magnus turned around towards the big cat and –“Ow!” he shrieked and stared at his now bleeding hand in shock. Did the beast just scratch him? 

The beast hissed at him, and then the little one started struggling in his arms, clawing at him when Magnus held him tighter.

“Ow, dammit, that’s cheating! Right, you beasts, I’ve had enough!” he exclaimed angrily and snapped his fingers. Blue sparks jumped from his hand and surrounded the two animals, lifting them up in the air. While he was at it, he healed the slices on his hand, as well.

Still grumbling, Magnus made his way through the loft, searching for a room to lock the two cats away while the blue ball of magic floated after him. When he found the bedroom, he snapped his fingers again and let out a sigh of relief as the door locked behind him.

“One less problem, now back to the mission. Where is this book?” 

Magnus looked around the living room again and let his hand glide over the sideboard next to a large bookshelf, and he let out a huff when he spotted something.

“Are those...? No way, not in this dimension and never would I ever...” 

Magnus groaned as he picked up the old Tarot cards lying in a neat stack on the table. He stared down at the offending wannabe hocus pocus as if they would come to life at any moment.

“This isn’t happening… A High Warlock doing Cartomancy? Ridiculous!”, he let out a sigh and rubbed his nose. Just ridiculous.

“First cats, now Tarot cards. This world is getting on my nerves,” Magnus grumbled and put the cards down again.

Things can only get worse now, he thought and continued his search.

 

Magnus gave up searching after hours and collapsed on the sofa with a frustrated groan. The book was definitely not in the loft, but where could it possibly be?

He rubbed his temples, trying to ignore the ominous pounding which was starting to increase.

“Where is this stupid book? Think Magnus, think!” He kept muttering the words, lost in his thoughts without noticing someone entering the loft through a portal. He nearly fell off the couch when a sudden voice appeared behind him.

“Magnus, my old friend.”

A shiver ran through his entire body, eyes widening in shock as Magnus turned slowly around and stared at the person standing in front of him.

His hands clenched into fists, breath coming out short and shallow. Memories raced through his mind, tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. It couldn’t be.

He had tried to prepare himself to expect anything, had imagined more than a thousand scenes happening. But not this. Not him.

Standing in front of a glistening portal, smiling down at him, was Ragnor Fell.

Magnus felt faint. He stared at the other Warlock in disbelief, and the pain he had suppressed so thoroughly came back all at once, rushing over him. Without giving it a second thought Magnus jumped to his feet and hugged Ragnor tight, clutching to his shoulders.

“I missed you so so much,” he whispered, and Ragnor hugged him equally tight, laughing quietly.

“Magnus, is everything okay? It’s been just a few weeks since we last saw each other.”

Magnus knew he should have stopped holding Ragnor, but the thought of never holding his dearest friend ever again made him hold on even tighter.

“Magnus, are you wiping off your tears on my jacket? Get yourself together, you got make-up on!” Ragnor complained, and Magnus released him with a chuckle, wiping at his eyes as he took in the very much alive Ragnor.

The friendly brown eyes and his charming smile suited him well, as did as the gray tweed jacket he was wearing with a blue shirt underneath. He looked just like Magnus had always known him. The only thing different was the glamour he wore to hide his horns, but then Magnus remembered how the Downworlders were hidden in this dimension.

Magnus had never thought how the sight of his friend would move him like this. His heart felt a sting as he realized that he would have to leave his friend, one of the few people he really loved, behind. 

Saying goodbye to Ragnor as he had died had nearly killed Magnus himself. Magnus quickly brushed the memory aside, focusing. There was no time for this now.

Still, he wasn’t able to tear his gaze away from Ragnor, as the feeling of sheer luck was too overwhelming for him. Seeing his friend alive for one last time was a gift from the gods and Magnus was more than thankful for it, but the bitter thoughts about leaving lingered.

No. He wanted more time with his best friend. He needed more time.

But that was the exact thing he was lacking.

Time.

On the other hand, he thought, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself for not taking this chance, to spend some last moments with the Warlock before never seeing him ever again.

Maybe Ragnor knew where the book was. It was worth a shot; everyone would understand that.

Magnus continued to stare at his recently departed friend, fond and heartbreaking memories alike consumed him. Just a little more time with him. He could make time to be with Ragnor, his best friend of centuries. He was so alive and real… and really, there was just a bit of time, wasn’t there?

“You look different,” Ragnor commented, tearing Magnus out of his thoughts. 

That was close.  
Magnus had very nearly lost is anchor to the other dimension just then. Ragnor patted Magnus’ shoulder with a smile and pointed toward a side table next to the couch, where various bottles were placed, all alcoholic.

“And you don’t even offer your guests something to drink anymore?” He let out a small laugh and walked past Magnus toward the table. Ragnor lifted a bottle of wine, grabbed two glasses and sat down on the couch, raising an eyebrow at Magnus with a questioning look.

“Are you coming, or am I drinking alone while you keep staring at me with that absurd look of yours?”

Magnus nodded slowly as he sat down next to Ragnor and took the glass he was offered. Without raising his eyes from the glass he smiled.

“I’m sorry my dear, I’m... not quite myself today.”

Magnus looked up and laughed nervously, not sure how this Ragnor would react. The latter smiled softly and nodded.

“So I’ve noticed. Would you like to talk about it? You know you can tell me anything.”

Instead of answering, Magnus raised his glass for a toast. He took a big sip, savoring the taste of the wine. He knew from experience that it was dangerous to drink with Ragnor; one bottle usually turned into several and minutes quickly turned into hours. Magnus remembered many a night they had passed just like this, two friends sharing a quiet evening and a quality vintage. Surely he could afford one last drink with his best friend; there was nothing in the world he wanted more at this very moment. The mission could wait a bit longer.

Wait. The mission. A mission? 

Magnus felt panic setting in, but quickly let out a sigh of relief when the image came to mind. The Book of the White. Yes. Everything was okay. Right?

“Oh, this wine is fantastic! Did you get it from that special shop again? Or is this one of the ones Raphael got you? That boy does have an excellent taste in wine,” Ragnor said with a pleased nod while Magnus thought about his answer.

He tried to picture sullen, cantankerous Raphael handing him a bottle of wine. His lips turned up in a smirk as he began to laugh at the image, but then his mind was suddenly flooded with memories, memories of Raphael giving him dozens of bottles as a gift from his trip to Italy two years ago. Clan business had taken him Europe, and it had been a perfect opportunity to pick up some excellent varieties for Magnus that he wasn’t able to find in New York. Memories of standing in an exquisite little wine shop in Brooklyn, bottles upon bottles of rare finds and the smell of a delicious bouquet… What was it called again? The Jade Wolf?

Despite the peculiar name, the wine he had purchased from there was really was something special. The young owner of the shop, Maia, had fantastic taste and knowledge about every single drop in her shore.

Wait, WHAT?

Magnus shook his head forcefully. No, Raphael from his world had definitely not been to Italy two years ago, and if he ever had brought Magnus anything, wine would have been the last thing he thought of. 

Or would it have been? And what about Maia’s shop?

Suddenly there were memories from two different lives he had lived running through his mind, both fighting for dominance. Both seemed so true, so lifelike. What was real? 

There was Raphael, giving him a tired and annoyed look because Magnus had requested a souvenir of his trip to Italy. Then there was Raphael, happily presenting him a few bottles from a family vineyard with a smile on his face. Maia’s shop, neatly decorated with a selection of the best wine from around the world. 

But Magnus was sure he had never been in such a shop in his entire life. Right?

Magnus pressed his lips together and tried to focus his thoughts. 

Which memory was the right one? What the hell was happening? 

One moment, everything was perfectly fine, and in the next he wasn’t able to think a single straight train of thought, memories all muddled together. His thoughts were going in all different directions, tangling together and leaving his mind a chaotic mess.

The mission, what was it again? A book, yes. Find a book. 

But which one? 

He owned thousands of books. Perhaps he could ask Luke to find him a new copy and save him the effort of finding it. How was Luke doing? How was his business going? It had been a long time since he had last visited the man, they really should catch up. 

He had to change this. But… 

Magnus tried to focus again. Since when did Luke own a book shop? What were those memories? Wasn’t Luke a werewolf? Or was he?

Magnus wasn’t so sure anymore.

Get a grip, Magnus! Focus. Remember. He scolded himself. It was about a book! Or a mission? 

Or... wine? 

What was it about that book again?

“Magnus, are you okay?” Ragnor asked with a worried voice. He narrowed his eyes at Magnus and he realized he had never answered Ragnor’s question. 

Magnus stared down at his fingers and rubbed them together. He wasn’t able to answer that question. He didn’t have an answer to that question. He looked at his friend with an unsure look in his eyes.

“I’m okay, I think. Maybe a bit confused? I’m not sure,” he admitted with a timid shrug.

“Perhaps I got carried away last night, and the resulting hangover has decided to mess with my memories,” he tried to explain. Ragnor looked at him with a startled expression, though it changed to worry in just seconds.

“I can’t remember the last time seeing you with a hangover, or even drunk, at that.”

Magnus blinked in confusion. Which memory belonged to which Magnus? Who had memories of noisy parties with catastrophic aftermaths? A life in pure luxury but also fighting for his life and the lives of his kind? 

And who had memories of a quiet and safe life? Without magic, without fear?

Magnus closed his eyes, leaning his head on his hands, and he let out a sigh. Nothing was making any sense at all and it confused him. 

What was happening? Why was everything in his mind a blurry mess and why wasn’t he able to tell one life from the other anymore? The more he thought about it, the muddier it all became. He tried to focus over and over again but by doing so, the chaos in his head grew uncontrollably.

He began pacing around the room, his reflection caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

He stopped and stared at himself. A dark red satin-blouse, black trousers, a necklace. Things he had never worn before. And makeup? What had happened to his hair?

He turned around to look at Ragnor.

“My dearest friend, something is wrong… But I can’t quite tell you what it is. But something is definitely wrong.”

Ragnor opened his mouth but Magnus held up his hand and shook his head frantically.

“I know, I know, don’t say it. It sounds really strange and... bizarre.”

And in that moment, what was left of his anchor faded away. As he turned around towards the mirror again, he stared into the eyes of a stranger.


	3. the rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Alec opened his eyes, the first thing he looked at was an elegant, dark wooden table in front of him. His hands were hovering over a keyboard and the website on the screen in front of him read three words.
> 
> LIGHTWOOD-PARTY-PLANNER
> 
> He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.  
> Of course, this Alec had to be someone like this. A person in the spotlight.  
> Before he could do anything further a sudden wave of nausea hit Alec, and he had to take a few deep breaths to prevent himself from vomiting into the silver waste bin next to the desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooooo guys!
> 
> I´m baaaack. I´m so sorry it took me a million years. *hides* sorry sorry sorry.  
> But here it is.  
> Hope you will enjoy reading. <3<3<3<3  
> Love you all and thank you so much for all the comments and kudos.
> 
> Thank you so much childofthesky and ladymatt I LOVE U (best beta´s ever)

Alec was nervous.

He was pacing the room, going up and down relentlessly while fidgeting with his sleeve. It had become a habit of his, annoying even himself, since it was a clear sign of how much on edge he felt. It was as if his fingers searched for the sleeve all on their own, all of the time, without him wanting to. He just couldn‘t help it.

Something was wrong.

_Magnus!_

There was this uneasy feeling, the waitinging was slowly driving him crazy. He had to do something but what could he possibly do? He clenched his hands into tight fists, forcing himself to stop the fidgeting for now, as he took a few deep breaths.

_Get yourself together_ , he told himself. _You’re not helping either Jace nor Magnus if you’ll lose it now_.

Easier said than done.

Only seconds later, he was thinking about the both of them again and the same thoughts swirled through his head, over and over again.

Jace.

Magnus.

Valentine.

The Book of the White.

Magnus.

It was a hopeless cause, and he let out a sigh. He wouldn’t be able to shut it off just like that. It made him feel irritated, since nobody really understood what he was going through.

How could they?Two of his most important people were gone and all he could do was watch and wait. And patience was definitely not his strongest suit.

_Jace!_

Alec swallowed, driven by the thought of what his Parabatai was possibly going through at this very moment. He knew Jace was alive because he could feel him through their shared rune but the bond was weak. Only a hazy feeling remained of his other half. But it still gave him a small glimmer of hope, a chink of light in his ongoing darkness.

He was so scared for Jace. What was it Valentine was trying to use Jace for? How could Alec help and rescue Jace? Where was he?

Stopping his pacing, Alec punched his fist against the table in front of him and fell down on the chair next to it, burying his head in his hands. Closing his eyes, he blocked out everything else, and concentrated on calming his erratic thoughts.

What was going to happen when they found Jace?

The Clave surely wouldn’t let him go easily. No, Alec knew better than to assume that. Would they declare him a traitor? Would he be safe within the Institute?

Alec pushed the sickening thoughts aside, knowing that without waking Jocelyn first, they had no chance of finding Jace at all. Clary’s mum was their only hope in stopping Valentine and of finding out where his brother was. But she was still under the influence of the sleeping spell and to break it they needed the Book of the White.

Camille, the owner of said book had betrayed them all, giving them a duplicate while taking the real book with her. And she was long gone. Even Magnus hadn’t been able to locate her. Now Magnus was gone too, having travelled to the other dimension to find the book.

_Magnus!_

Why wasn’t he back already? What was taking him so long? Had the worst case scenario come true and he’d become lost over there? Was he in danger? What was happening?

First, Jace had disappeared with the most dangerous Shadowhunter, his father to be precise, and now Magnus had been gone for hours too. Alec wasn’t just frustrated about waiting and doing nothing.

He was angry.

There had to be something he could do! He got up quickly and started pacing the room again, stopping right where Magnus had kissed him more than six hours earlier, before he had disappeared through his portal. Six goddamn hours! Alec pressed his lips together as he glared at the portal, still open and glistening blue.

"You can't will him to return, no matter how hard you glare at it, Alec." Izzy had entered the room without him noticing and approached her brother slowly. “Be patient. He’ll manage it”, she said and reached up to lightly stroke Alec's cheek.

“But why is he taking so long?” Alec gritted his teeth together until it hurt. “I mean, Iz, how long can it take to search for a book in a loft? Definitely not six hours, that’s for sure! Something must have gone wrong!” Of course. There simply was no other reason why Magnus hadn’t come back.

“Alec, stop.” Izzy looked at him with understanding and stopped his hands from fidgeting with the sleeve again. “Magnus will come back and then we’re gonna do everything to rescue Jace and..”, she said but stopped as a loud crack distracted them and they both looked at the portal in shock.The noise was getting louder and the blue, shimmering gateway was becoming unstable What was happening? How could it get unstable with Magnus still inside? Alec didn’t know how long such portals were able to remain intact. Maybe it had reached it's limit and was in danger of closing.

“Iz, what’s happening?”, Alec asked, slight panic in his voice. Izzy held onto his arm.

“I don’t know.” He looked at her with wide eyes while the cracking noises got louder. The portal began flickering and the shimmering blue faded even more.

“Does this mean something happened to Magnus?”

“I really don’t know!”, Izzy said and Alec shook his head. “But it didn’t do this until now, why now?” Alec’s voice had gotten louder and a wave of fear overcame him.They both stared as the portal continued to fade.

Suddenly there was a new thought in Alec’s head. What if it was closing with Magnus still inside? Trapped in the other dimension?

_No!!_

Suddenly, he realized why the portal was closing and a cold shiver ran down his spine. There was nothing holding the portal open from inside of it. A rush of panic hit Alec as his pulse increased and his heart pumped in his chest, ready to bust out at any moment. Something must have been happened to Magnus! He had to do something. Alec took a deep breath as he made his decision, his pulse calming down just like it did before a fight against a demon. He was ready to face this.

“Iz, I’m going after Magnus!” Izzy spun around and she looked at him with panic in her eyes.

“What? NO! I can’t let you do this, Alec, stop! It’s too dangerous!”, she shouted but Alec shook his head, turning towards her. He hugged her tight and kissed her forehead gently.

“I love you but I have to do this. There’s no other way. I’ll bring back Magnus and the book, I promise!” Izzy was about to protest, but she knew he had made his decision, so she took a step back. Her shoulders straightened and she nodded stiffly, fighting back tears. And so she let her brother walk through the portal.

————————————————————————————————-

When Alec opened his eyes, the first thing he looked at was an elegant, dark wooden table in front of him. His hands were hovering over a keyboard and the website on the screen in front of him read three words.

LIGHTWOOD-PARTY-PLANNER

He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. Of course, this Alec had to be someone like this. A person in the spotlight. Before he could do anything further a sudden wave of nausea hit Alec, and he had to take a few deep breaths to prevent himself from vomiting into the silver waste bin next to the desk.

Portal traveling.. no, traveling through dimensions really wasn’t his thing.

Alec tried to get rid of the horrible taste in his mouth as he took another few breaths and closed his eyes for a moment, burying his head in his hands. As the anxiety and nausea faded, a feeling of worry hit him next. How could he have been so foolish, not only walking straight through a portal into another dimension but without focusing on an anchor not to lose himself first? Now he could lose himself by even the smallest thing.

_Well done, Alec! Who’s gonna come and rescue you then?_ Alec sighed, then he tried to focus.

He had to be quick and not lose himself and… he looked around in confusion.

Where the hell was he?

He stood up and walked up to the big glass front in the office, looking over the skyline of New York. His mission was to find Magnus as quickly as possible and return home as soon as possible. As he scanned the buildings outside, he was surprised to see the Institute from his point of view. Great! So this meant he was only a few stations away from Magnus’s loft… Alec looked back at the furniture in the office and scrunched his nose at the hideous paintings on the walls, which likely cost a fortune.

He would take a taxi, the company paying for it. To avoid any distractions, of course!

________________________________________________

Alec leaned his head against the side window of the taxi, taking in this New York. The drive wasn’t long, but he used the time to come up with a plan.

First of all, how was he gonna make Magnus believe he was from another dimension, if he really had lost himself?

When he'd stepped through the portal, he'd been sure that he could manage this easily. Now he wasn’t so sure anymore and he was hoping Magnus would be willing to listen to the voice of reason. But what if he wouldn’t believe him? He thought about it again and again, the thought driving him mad. What could it have been that made Magnus lose his anchor?

At least it hadn’t been this dimension’s charming version of himself who had lured Magnus into the trap. Or else, Alec probably wouldn’t have found himself alone in an office but faced with the prospect of catching Magnus in a clinch with him. So what had it been? What happy thought or ineffable dread had made Magnus lose himself?

An unpleasant thought crossed his mind and Alec’s face darkened. What if he just wasn’t enough as an anchor? Maybe Magnus feelings weren’t enough? Maybe the kiss hadn’t been strong enough to work as an anchor?

It just couldn’t be.

Something must have happened, Alec thought, and it surely wasn’t the lack of feelings. At least that was what Alec kept telling himself. But if he was being honest… He had his doubts. The more he thought about it, the more logical it seemed to him. Magnus’s feelings weren't deep enough and that was why he had lost himself.

Alec thought about what Magnus had done to win his heart, without pressuring Alec into any decision he didn’t want to make. It was real! But the truth was hard. Magnus was lost in this dimension, so his feelings and therefore the anchor hadn’t been strong enough. Right?

The poisonous thought kept infiltrating Alec’s mind and he pressed his lips together. Magnus had forgotten about him as soon as he had left. He had left Alec alone in his greatest moment of need. After everything he had done for Magnus! He clenched his angry hands in to fists. Hurt and anger flooded his mind. Maybe Camille had been right after all? Magnus did have a type he went after and Alec suited it quite well. There had been others before him and surely there would be others after him.

How could he have ever believed he was someone special to Magnus? The High Warlock of Brooklyn?

Alec snorted and grimaced. He meant nothing to Magnus! Maybe he was something to pass the time with for someone immortal like Magnus, nothing more. The journey to this dimension had proved it quite clearly. Their feelings had been tested and Magnus’ had been found wanting. Tears of desperation burned in his eyes as Alec tried to fight the feelings overwhelming him.

_No!_

Now was not the time for this. He was still on a mission. What he needed now was a plan to get Magnus and the book back to his own dimension. He would have time to think about everything else afterwards.

When he reached Magnus loft, Alec handed the driver some money and took a deep breath.

_Let’s do this_ , he thought. _This is what you came here for. Get Magnus and the book._

Alec swallowed past the lump in his throat and pressed the button for the bell.

“Yes, hello?”, a voice sounded through the intercom and Alec’s heart picked up the pace. It was Magnus! Just the sound of his voice was enough to calm Alec’s anger. How was it possible for this man to have such an impact on him?

“I’m… It’s Alec. Alexander. I mean… Alexander Lightwood”, he stuttered and cursed himself for his lack of composure. How long would he be a stuttering mess in Magnus presence? Damn this Warlock!

“Alec, Alexander Lightwood?”, Magnus asked and Alec could tell by the questioning sound Magnus was raising his eyebrows in confusion. This was unexpected. Magnus didn’t remember him? Somehow he had expected that they would knew each other in this dimension as well. That there was at least … something. Now his badly-thought-out plan to charm Magnus with his nonexistent ability to flirt crashed down on him. Waves of panic hit him and he desperately tried to gather a thought to save the messed up situation.

Suddenly the intercom made a cracking sound and Alec heard Magnus voice again.

“Oh my god, Alec Lightwood, as in Alec from the Mad-Hatter-Party at the Institute – Lightwood?” Alec let out a sigh in relief.

“Yes!”

“Dammit!”, Magnus said and it was silent again.

_Wait. What?!?_ , Alec thought.

But before he had any time to think about what to do next, the door buzzed and he pushed inside quickly. His hands were shaking and his heart was racing as Alec climbed the stairs, his breath coming out shallow. Somehow he had imagined this mission playing out differently.

Smoother and more heroically.

The moment he had started doubting Magnus’s feelings for him had been the moment his old insecurities had come back to him as well. If he hadn’t been enough as an anchor, how was he supposed to make Magnus remember him? Wasn’t this absolutely impossible? His plan, which had seemed so easy before, suddenly seemed impossible.

And Alec had no idea what the Magnus of this world was like, and what story the both of them shared. Where should he start talking? He felt like slapping himself in the face for not asking Clary about it but who could have guessed his sudden need to leave to rescue Magnus?

Alec stopped before he reached the floor where Magnus loft was and tried to calm his breathing and grab a straight thought. He knew for sure, that he needed to be focused on what he had to do. It seemed simple: He had to convince Magnus to open a portal, grab the Book of the White and come with him, back to the other dimension.

So far so good.

_Breathe in and let’s go,_ he thought and took the last steps of the stairs, stopping in front of Magnus’s door, raising his hand to knock.

Alec sucked in a breath as Magnus opened the door and Alec blinked.

He looks different, Alec noticed.

This Magnus looked like.. nothing like his Magnus Bane. His hair was straightened and combed back, no make-up on his face or glitter on his clothes. In fact, his clothes were… well, they were normal. A gray long-sleeve jumper and dark jeans. It didn’t look bad, quite the contrary. Magnus looked really good.

But Alec didn’t like it.

It was what he liked most about Magnus. His extravagant style which suited him so well and made him unique and special. He liked the thought of Magnus entering a room having everyone notice his striking self, because Magnus wasn’t just anyone, no, he was one of the most powerful Warlocks of all times and it radiated off him wherever he went.

Alec stopped his own thoughts at this point, rolling his eyes. Why was he distracting himself with such vanities, like the powerful movements of Magnus Bane?

_You’ve got a mission, Alec, focus!_ , he scolded himself.

It seemed like eternity, the way they both stared at each other in silence, which was broken by a faint cough.

“Hello, Alec”, Magnus said carefully.

“Hey Magnus.” Hey Magnus, Alec thought. Way to go on the part of intelligence, Lightwood…. The embarrassed silence made the whole situation even more awkward than it already was.

“So, Alec, with what do I deserve your unexpected visit?” Magnus gave him a shy smile. That question wasn’t an easy one. If only Alec knew how to react to it.

_Alec. Get inside, get the book, bring Magnus back and get back to your dimension! Do it! Flirt your way inside! NOW!_

“I… uhm…. Well I’m…” Alec let out a sigh.

He wasn’t Izzy and this wasn’t working. His mind went back to the ridiculous scene where he had tried to seduce the police officer back then, and he hadn’t really showed his ability there either. And he was failing short once again now. Why would it be any different? He was so unsure and inexperienced when it came to love and the uncertainty and doubt about Magnus feelings wasn’t helping much.

“Why so shy?”, Magnus asked and tilted his head a bit to the side. “How unusual of you”, he added and a grin spread on his face.

Wait. Was Magnus FLIRTING with him?

Alec smirked back at Magnus, but it felt really wrong. But he noticed how Magnus looked at the floor because of it, his cheeks blushing.

Great! Let’s do this! What was it Clary had told him? The Alec of this dimension was out, a bit arrogant but nice and quite outgoing. Fantastic, everything he himself wasn’t. But he had to play the role now.

“Right, right..I. You…you just baffled me, that’s why.” And that wasn’t even a lie, but it had a way more bitter taste than Alec liked to admit. Magnus inhaled sharply and stared at Alec with wide eyes. Alec quickly continued, before he lost the courage again. “Don’t you want to let me in? That’s kind of rude.” Magnus nodded frantically to that.

“I… Yes of course! Come in!”

_Bingo!_

He’s got him. Without any second thought, Alec entered the loft, feeling smug about the way he had managed to take Magnus by surprise. But now he was inside and now he had to think about what the next step was.

Alec fidgeted with the buttons on his jacket. Why was this stupid jacket so annoying? And the color, a light brown leather. Way too soft and prone to stains of blood and ichor. This Alec seemed to like luxury and wearing jackets absolutely impractical for fights. He was able to chose his clothing according to his likings and not their functionality. Alec had never possessed any piece of clothing suited for anything other than a fight.

Suddenly his vision blurred before his eyes and new memories appeared. He saw Izzy, wearing unbelievably cute glasses and with braided hair, giving him the jacket as a gift. She was telling him about how she had talked with Simon about whether it suited him, her voice proud and full of love.

WAIT!!

This was not a real memory! Izzy and Simon together? Absolutely ludicrous, same like the thought that he, Alec Lightwood, would lose himself in this dimension over the thought of a stupid jacket.

No way.

Alec groaned and rubbed his eyes.

Focus! The book and Magnus!

Alec shrugged out of the jacket and threw it down on the floor in the hallway, then he followed Magnus into the open space of the loft.

“Alec, can I get you something to drink?”, Magnus asked, moving behind his serving cart, pouring himself a glass of red wine, looking up at Alec with raised eyebrows. “Red wine? A Martini?”

Not exactly exotic, Alec thought and remembered the first night with Magnus, keeping guard over Luke. Rainbow-colored drinks with fruit and little party umbrellas had been what Magnus had made them back then. It had been the evening Magnus had admitted to feeling something when it came to Alec. Back then, Alec hadn’t been aware of the consequences of that sentence and even now, he knew more but still so little.

“Magnus! You didn’t tell me we’ve got a visitor!”, a sudden voice sounded and a third person appeared in the room.

Alec turned his head to look at the person standing there and suddenly it all made sense. The reason Magnus had lost himself so easily.

Ragnor Fell!

There he stood, alive and well. Magnus oldest friend smiling at the both of them while holding up his wine glass.

Alec gaped at the Warlock in shock and swallowed. He felt his tension, hurt, anger and doubt evaporate into thin air and every piece of the puzzle fitted perfectly together. This was the reason.

Alec felt a giant weight lifting off his shoulders. Of course Ragnor Fell was the reason why Magnus had lost himself in this dimension, the open wound of losing his oldest friend still fresh when he had started the mission. Alec knew from experience how long it took to let go after the death of a beloved person and move on and it seemed like Magnus had only thought he was over the worst of it already it already, but the truth was he was still grieving. It had to be really painful for him after sharing centuries with the other warlock and Alec could only imagine the hurt Magnus must have been feeling over Ragnor’s death. Meeting Ragnor, alive and well in this dimension must have been a surprise for sure and Magnus lost himself before being ready to face Ragnor once again.

And Alec understood.

But now he felt bad. He had doubted Magnus and his feelings for Alec, knowing the source were his own insecurities. It just was so new for Alec that he was actually important to someone else other than his siblings, but he still felt guilty. He knew Magnus would have stuck to the mission if not for the appearance of his dead friend suddenly showing up. Alec thought about Jace and his chest ached. He would feel the same way Magnus did if Jace had turned up, which reminded Alec once again NOT to lose focus and lose himself. He was still here without an anchor and had to be careful at all times.

“Seems like I’ve got a strange effect on people today”, Ragnor noticed with an amused grin as he sat down on the comfortable couch. “First, Magnus hugs me like he’s seen a ghost and now you’re gaping at me with the same expression.” He let out a small laugh, raising his glass to his lip, taking a big swig. Then he placed the empty glass on the couch table and looked at Magnus. “Honestly, Magnus, tell your friend to stop staring. It’s getting kind of awkward.”

Alec looked to his feet, his cheeks burning red. He had been staring the whole time.

“Even Alec Lightwood can’t resist your charm, Ragnor”, Magnus snapped and Ragnor head spun around to look at the young hunter, looking him up and down with an interested smirk.

“Wait, it’s THE Alec Lightwood”, he asked. Alec looked up with narrowed eyes.

_The Alec Lightwood?_

So Magnus had been talking about him? No, the other Alec?

“Thanks a lot, Ragnor.. how embarrassing..”, Magnus mumbled as he walked over to where Alec stood and handed him the Martini. “Please ignore this annoying guy.” He gave Alec a shy smile, raising his glass to clink their glasses. “To us and to your unexpected but absolutely welcome visit!” Magnus gave Alec a look of such intensity, that he felt a shiver run down his back. Without answering Alec tapped their glasses together their glasses and drowned the whole liquid in one go.

The drink tasted absolutely awful and he screwed up his face in disgust. He noticed Magnus smirking even though he tried to hide it.

“Martini’s aren’t your thing, huh? Guess you rather like different things then?”, Ragnor asked innocently and wiggled his eyebrows.

“I.. uhm.. I like uhm..”, Alec stuttered, desperately trying to find a suitable answer but Magnus saved him once again.

“Ragnor Fell, would you behave in front of my guest! Not everyone appreciates your dirty jokes”, he scolded him, then he turned towards Alec. “So, what brings you here?” Alec’s eyes widened.

_Quick, say something, what brings you here_ , he thought, his mind racing. What was he supposed to say? That he wanted to go on a date? That he just wanted to see him again? It was nice to hear that, right? But how would it help Alec to get Magnus to remember? He suddenly had an idea, though, a risky one and if it turned out bad, he had a big problem. But it was the only thing he could think of. The truth, it shall have to be!

“I’m here to take you back to my world.”

_________________________________________________________

 

Magnus has his legs crossed as he looked at the young man sitting opposite of him.

_Alec Lightwood._

A party-planner, stinking-rich son of Maryse and Robert Lightwood. Handsome, confident and openly gay.

At least that was how Magnus had met him at the Mad-Hatter-Party at the Institute a few days ago. Today, though, the young guy seemed different. Still handsome, without a doubt, but he was closed off and unsure of his behavior and Magnus could see it in his eyes how uncomfortable he was feeling. As if he didn’t belong in this world.

Which reminded Magnus about the reason of Alec’s visit.

Alec believed that he and Magnus weren’t part of this world but from another dimension, which surely wasn’t anything unusual for a warlock. Traveling through dimensions via portals was nothing more than a memory to him, his last one about a hundred years ago, but still, nothing unusual. He had traveled a thousand times through the dimensions back then but never had he lost himself in one of those.

In fact, he had been proud to be the one creating the strongest anchors all the time.

Even Ragnor had lost himself once. The conceited idiot had thought nothing would have made him lose himself in another dimension, but a lovesick Raphael had taught him better. Magnus loved to make fun of the two whenever possible nowadays.

But Magnus losing himself? It wasn’t impossible of course, but he refused to believe it to be the truth.

Magnus studied Alec’s face, his perfect hair and his perfectly tailored shirt and his well-trained body, the perfectly fitted chinos.

He took a sip of his wine.

According to the other guy, he was from the same world as the girl, Clary, he had met a few days back. A world full of demons where Shadowhunters hadn’t been forgotten, but were in fact still actively fighting against said demons. A world where magic was a part of their lives and where Shadowhunters and Downworlders had formed an alliance to defeat a shared enemy.

Magnus let out a sigh at the thought of this.

He had re-activated his magic only recently, thanks to the part of the portal from Clary and it had been an intoxicating feeling, the magic running through his veins once again. And it had been the right time too, since a demon had made it through the portal. But Clary and her blonde friend had defeated it with such speed, eliminating Magnus’s doubts about anything the redhead had said to him.

After that, the pair had left to get back to their dimension, leaving Magnus and the demon behind. Using his newly activated powers, Magnus had tried to get rid of the demon, but it had proved to be quite difficult. His magic was still weak. He didn’t want to think about any nasty details, so he pushed them aside.

He tried to find a lead, even the smallest detail, an inconsistency, something that wasn’t right. But he couldn’t think of anything. Everything seemed perfectly normal. But it always did. Losing yourself in another dimension meant becoming a part of it, becoming the person of said dimension, forgetting any memory of your own world. That was what made it all so dangerous.

Alec suddenly jumped to his feet and started pacing the room. Magnus’s brooding look rested on him.

“Magnus, look, you went on a mission six hours ago and came here to find the Book of the White. I promised you not to worry but I lied. I always worry”, Alec said and fidgeted with his sleeve. “I’m the Leader of the New York Institute and that means worrying all the time about anything and everyone.” He let out a miserable laugh. “The Clave’s eyes are heavy on my back and the Mortal Cup is in the hands of our greatest enemy. Valentine is using it to create an army of Shadowhunters to start a war against all of us. Downworlders are in danger and Jocelyn is still trapped within the sleeping spell and Jace...” Alec didn’t finish but let out a sigh. “My siblings have a habit of putting me, themselves and sometimes, even the whole world, in danger.” He took a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is after you’ve been gone for six hours, the portal you went through started to get unstable. I went through before it closed. The Book of the White is the only way to wake Jocelyn and we need her to fight Valentine and get my brother and Parabatai back!”

Magnus swallowed. He understood the weight lying on the young Shadowhunters’ shoulders and he could make out the pain and hurt in his words but he could only empathize with Alec. It was still not enough to convince him that he was from the same world as him.He knew his decision wouldn't please Alec, but maybe there was one thing that could help him.

“Look, I’ve got it here”, Magnus said as he walked to the other side of the room, towards a huge bookshelf, filled with hundreds of big old books. He grabbed one particularly old one with a white book cover and handed it to Alec carefully. Alec’s eyes widened.

“Thanks”, he said, and looked up at Magnus.“But I’m not leaving without you.”

A sheepishly grin spread on Magnus face. “I’m flattered about your efforts but this is my world and..”, he said, but Alec interrupted him.

“Magnus”, he said with a firm and calm voice, putting the book aside and stood up to stand in front of the warlock, eyeing him intently. “I’m not going without you. We need the book but we also need YOU.” He furrowed his brow. “I mean.. I need you and I won’t leave without you.” Magnus stared at Alec in silence.

What if Alec was telling the truth? What if he really didn’t belong here? Would he remember if he went back with Alec? Leaving behind this peaceful world for a world full of danger? Was this guy, who he didn’t even know, really worth the risk? He wasn’t sure about it at all. Really NOT sure! Magnus wanted to help Alec, but he didn’t know what to do. He sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing at his temples.

“Magnus? Alec?”, Ragnor suddenly asked. Both men looked at the other warlock. “I know you two lovebirds forgot about me and are lost in each other, which is really cute”, he deadpanned and waved his hand in the air. “But maybe I know how to help you”, he added and raised his eyebrows.

“How?”, Alec asked, his brow furrowed.

“Well, it’s really quite simple. Renew your anchor.” Ragnor looked at Magnus with a devilish glint in his eyes and grinned. “Frankly, nothing I should be reminding Magnus Bane of, huh? But it seems like you turned your brain off the moment Alec stepped through this door. You’ve been drooling ever since. That’s why I thought a little help as your best friend would be appropriate, don’t you think?”, he finished.

Magnus crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“I’m not drooling”, he objected and narrowed his eyes. Ragnor gave him a look.

“Magnus Bane, I’ve known you for nearly your whole immortal life and when I tell you you’re drooling, you are.” Magnus pouted and made a mental note to remind Ragnor on another occasion, that he, thanks to Magnus, wasn’t trapped in another dimension along with a lovesick Raphael.

Ragnor looked at Alec. “You can still remember his anchor, Shadowhunter?” Magnus noticed how Alec swallowed at these words but nodded firmly. He felt curious now. What had the other Magnus used as his anchor? He saw Alec’s cheeks darken with a blush and tilted his head.

_Interesting._

The anchor clearly had to do with Alec, and Magnus absolutely wanted to know. Alec looked tense, pressing his teeth together.

“The anchor..”, Alec started and looked at Magnus with a worried expression. “I don’t know how to tell you. It’s.. not that easy.”

Magnus raised an eyebrow.

“I’m curious”, Ragnor said gleefully and rubbed his hands together, clearly enjoying the situation.

Magnus grunted. Seemed like Ragnor sensed this was his revenge for the thing with Raphael. As great as he was, he could be quite resentful at times.

“Well, the thing is.. you… we..”Alec scratched his neck and avoided Magnus gaze.

“Alec. I know an anchor can be something intimate, right?”, Magnus said and Alec’s silence proved him right.

A shiver ran down Magnus’s back as he said those words. Something intimate with Alec Lightwood? The thought sounded tempting.The young Shadowhunter’s eyes shot up and widened as he stared at Magnus in shock. His mouth twitched as if he wanted to say something but no words came out. Magnus’s gaze was glued on Alec’s lips and he swallowed as Alec licked his lips at that very moment.

_Hell, he shouldn’t be allowed to do this,_ Magnus thought, his mouth going dry.

Alec swallowed and coughed slightly, making Magnus feel like he had been caught doing something forbidden. His cheeks were slightly red and he suddenly felt too hot in his grey long-sleeve.

“God dammit!”, Alec uttered as he suddenly closed the distance between them.

He grabbed Magnus’s wrist, pulling the warlock closer and pressed his lips to Magnus’s. Magnus felt taken by surprise for a moment, but melted into the kiss quickly. The kiss wasn’t wild or passionate but sweet and careful.

As if Alec was asking permission.

It felt perfect to Magnus. A small moan escaped him and he couldn’t help but deepen the kiss. Alec tasted sweet and Magnus felt the desperate need to take more. He cautiously nibbled Alec’s bottom lip. It was Alec who couldn’t hold back a groan this time and the sound of it shot a shiver through Magnus body, going straight down to his groin.

Alec opened his lips eagerly to Magnus.

The kiss was less careful now but more demanding. Both were feeling like they had caught fire. Everything was lips, teeth and tongue. The kisses burned and made Magnus want more, he couldn’t think straight anymore. His body felt weightless and it was only Alec's firm grip on his wrist that was anchoring him.

And suddenly it hit him, memories flooded his head and everything was back where it belonged.

Magnus pulled back in shock and parted their lips. Everything in his head was spinning, stray thoughts trying to find their right place and Magnus needed a few seconds to get a hold of himself. When the clouds cleared, he looked at Alec. Alec was watching him with wide eyes, his lips red and swollen from their kisses. He looked unbelievably enticing, making it hard for Magnus not to kiss him once again.

“Alexander, I-.. “, Magnus started, but he was interrupted by Alec leaning in and kissing him again. A small laugh played on both their lips and Magnus was more than willing to return the kiss. It was as if Alec was reassuring him that everything was okay by kissing him. He forgave Magnus for losing himself and that he had come there to fight for Magnus and bring him back. He hadn’t abandoned him but had taken the risk of traveling through an unstable portal to get to him.

Magnus couldn’t believe Alec had really done this for him. A solitary tear fell down his cheek as he smiled into the kiss. How did he deserve such a selfless man?, Magnus asked himself as he ran a hand through the unruly black hair of the hunter, which made Alec moan again. He used his other hand to pull Alec closer, to feel him pressed against him. Alec held onto Magnus’s hips firmly, both lost in each other.

The kiss deepened and they both felt the desire to be near each other, to touch each other and hold each other close. They finally broke apart and Magnus moved down to kiss Alec’s neck. Alec inhaled sharply and toughened the grip on Magnus’s waist and pressed him even closer, if that was possible.

PING!

The sudden noise startled both of them and their heads spun around to where Ragnor stood next to the microwave.

“I’m sorry”, he laughed and took a large puffing bag out of the microwave. “Don’t stop on my account, please”, he said and winked at them as he poured the content of the bag into a bowl.

_Did he seriously just make himself popcorn?_ Magnus thought staring at his friend in disbelief.

“I can suffer through your miserable make out session better with popcorn”, he said and stuffed his mouth full. “Is the anchor back or do you need to get to the bedroom next?”, he asked while chewing, pointing towards a closed door, a smug grin spreading on his face.

Alec’s cheeks were burning bright red and he was fidgeting with the sleeve of his shirt again, avoiding looking at anything but the floor. Magnus couldn’t help but chuckle and soon the three of them were all laughing. Magnus winked at Alec, who responded with a lopsided smile.

They had done it.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr (warlocks-nephilim) so we can talk about those fools in love or leave a comment over here.  
> I appreciate it <3<3<3


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